System for vehicle control.



J. T. GADE. SYSTEM FOR VEHICLE CONTROL. APPLICATION FILED JAN. 17, 1913.

4 441 Patented June 10, 1913.

COLUMDXA PLANOGRAPH CO-,WASHINGTON. D. 1:.

onrrnn earner ora ion.

JOHN T. (JADE, 0F ABCOLA, NET V JERSEY, ASSIGNGR 'IO FEDERAL SIGNALCOMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

SYSTEM FOR VEHICLE CONTROL.

To all whom 2'15 may concern Be it known that 1, JOHN T. (lens, acitizen of the United States, and a resident of Arcola, county ofBergen, and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Systems for Vehicle Control, of which the following is aspecification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, whichform a part hereof.

This invention relates to vehicle or train control ystems and has forits object to eliminate certain dangers to railway tratlic which havelately impressed themselves upon the minds of the public and thoseactively interested in the installation of systems and apparatus of thischaracter.

Recently it has been especially realized that many accidents uponrailways are due to the fact that engine drivers, for one reason andanother, pass the ordinary semaphore signal while in its danger positionin disregard of tratlic regulations. It is found that such action ofengine drivers is frequently due less to voluntary disregard of thesignal than to failure to note or realize its danger indication.Heretofore, it has been proposed to meet this condition by providingtrain stops to positively and automatically stop the train when theengine driver passes or attempts to pass the signal in the danger orstop position. But a train stop is objectionable for reasons peculiar toitself. In the first place it takes from the engine driver his owncontrol of his train under certain conditions and makes him liable torely upon the automatic stop instead of himself to avoid accidents. Thistends to lessen that feeling of responsibility, watchfulness and carewhich it is essential to preserve in the engine driver. Furthermore, theautomatic stop is not well adapted to eiiicient conduct of traiiic wheresuch traffic is carried on under the usual widely varying conditions ofordinary railway operation. A signal sometimes stands at danger when itis desirable for trafiic reasons that it be passed if this is done withfull realization by the engine driver of his act. A stoppage of thetrain under such conditions by an automatic stop would serve no usefulpurpose but would be a hindrance to traffic.

In the present invention the control of the train is not taken from theengine driver but provision is made to make him exercise Specificationof Letters Patent.

Application filed January 17, 1913.

Patented June it), 1913. Serial No. 742,592.

increased care against proceeding when travel is dangerous without fullknowledge and realization of his act. It will be understood that travelis dangerous when conditions are such as those now usually indicated bythe warning condition of a signal. In accordance with this invention,therefore, the automatic stop is eliminated and in its place there isprovided a special alarm device designed to be automatically operatedwhenever the engine driver proceeds when travel is dangerous or when heenters a danger zone of the track, unless, having noted the dangercondition of the track, he performs some act that will forestall theoperation of the alarm device after having retarded or brou ht his caror train under control. If he has noted the danger to travel, on thetrack ahead, and finds it advisable to proceed, notwithstanding, he isat liberty to do so provided he performs some act that will cutout thealarm device from operation after he has retarded or brought his car ortrain under control. But if, with inattention and lack of watchfulness,he proceeds when travel is dangerous or into the danger zone, he willfail to attend to the cutting out of the alarm device and it willoperate and thereby compel him, and preferably others, to realize whatis taking place. The forestalling of the operation of the alarm deviceis effected through preventive means under the control of otherprovisio-ns which, when operated, serve to retard the vehicle or train.This alarm device is designed to be of such a distinctive character thatit positively attracts the attention of the engine driver and also thetrain crew and passengers. Thus, the control of the train is left withthe engine driver but he is induced to exercise increased watchfulnessand is made to realize the consequences of his act when entering orabout to cute a danger zone of the track. Means are also provided toprevent power being applied by the en- .gine driver to the vehicle for apredetermined time interval aft-er said preventive means have beenoperated. Thus, after the engine driver has retarded his vehicle and outout the alarm device in response to a suggestion or indication of dangerahead he must wait for a certain interval of time before he is atliberty to apply power to speed up his vehicle again. This arrangementprovides an additional feature of safety. In the preferred arrangement asignal is employed to indicate to the engine driver when travel isdangerous and it is arranged to give its warning at the entering end ofa track zone when travel in such zone is dangerous. It is obvious thatthe signal with which the alarm de ice is associated may be a full stopor a cautionary signal. In either case, when the signal gives itswarning indication, it is to be understood that the track zone guardedby the signal is dangerous or is a danger zone as these terms are hereinused.

The invention may be embodied in various forms. It is not restricted toany special type of alarm device nor any special type of signal. Thisalarm device may be stationed on thetrackway or it may be located on theengine or at other points on the train. Nor is the invention to 'berestricted to any special means for controlling or operating the signalor alarm device.

The invention is shown in one of its various embodiments in theaccompanying drawings.

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic representation of the system. Fig. 2 is anenlarged view showing a vehicle on which certain devices of the systemare carried. Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional view of a circuit closingdevice.

Referring now to this particular embodiment of the invention, as shownin the drawings, 1, 2 and 3 are track sections insulated from eachother, track sections 1 and 2 being provided with the usual trackcircuits in the former of which is the track magnet 4, and in the latterof which is the track magnet 5.

6 is a signal of the semaphore type located on the trackway at theentering end of track section 1 and arranged to stand normally atsafety. The signal is shown as operated by a solenoid 9 or other type ofmotor, the circuit of which is normally closed and -ex tends fromgenerator 7 through wire 8, solenoid '9, wire 10, contact point 11,contact finger 12 of magnet 1%, and wire 15 back to generator 7 16 and17 are two contact rails on the trackway connected, respectively, bywires 18 and 19 with contact points 20 and 21 which are normally inelectrical connection by means of the contact 22 carried on the blade ofthe semaphore (3. Magnet 23 is normally energized by a circuit whichincludes generator 7, wire 2%, contact rail 17, to which it isconnected, wire 19, contacts 21, 22 and 20, wire 18, contact rail 16,wire 25, connected with contact rail 16, magnet 23,

ire 26 back to generator 7. It will be seen that this circuit is closedwhen the semaphore is in safety position and broken when the semaphoreis in danger position.

27 is an alarm device preferably located on the trackway in proximity tothe semaphore 6. It may be embodied in various forms and it may addressitself to the intelligence in any suitable manner, audible or otherwise.It is here shown in the form of an electrically operated gong, thecircuit for which extends from generator 7, through wire 28, contacts29, 80, which are arranged to be connected by the contact 31 on thesemaphore blade when the latter is in danger position, thence throughwire 32, gong 27, wire 33, contact point 3 1, contact finger 35 ofmagnet 23, wire 36, contact point 37, contact finger 38 of track magnet5 and wire 39 back to generator 7. This circuit is normally open atthree points, namely, at contacts 29, 30, at contact finger 85 and atcontact finger 38. Contact rail 17 is connected with wire 25 throughwire 40, contact fin ger il of magnet 5, contact d2, wire 13, contactfinger 44C of magnet 23, and contact point 15.

46 is a car traveling on the track in the direction of the arrow.Mounted on the car 46 is a treadle 47 arranged to operate a shoe 4Scapable of bridging'the contact rails 16 and 17 and thereby connect themelectrically together. Connected with the treadle is an arm 49 whichoperates a link 50 having a slot 51 through which passes a pin on thelever This lever controls the motive aower or brakes, or both, of thevehicle or train and must be first pulled back to retard the vehicle ortrain before the shoe may be depressed. The shoe 44 is normally elevatedabove the contact rails and is designed to be depressed into contacttherewith by the engine driver on the car t6 but he is unable to performthis act until the lever 52 has been pulled back to retard the car. Itwill be seen that the lever 52 may be operated independently of orwithout de pressing the shoe 47.

Associated with the lever 52 are means to prevent power being applied bythe engine driver to the vehicle for a. predetermined time intervalafter the treadle 47 has been depressed to cut out the alarm device.This means may be embodied in various forms and variously arranged. Inthe present instance, the link 50 has an extension 53 carrying ashoulder piece 54 arranged to be engaged by the core 55 of the solenoid56. This solenoid is energized by a circuit 57 having a switch 58. Thisswitch is arranged to be closed by a mercury flask 59 pivotally mountedon a bracket 60. This flask is arranged to be tilted to and fro on itspivotby means of the link 61 connected at one end to the arm 49 and atits other end with the lever 62 connected with the flask. lVithin theflask is a body of mercury 63 adapted to flow from one end of the flasktothe other through an orifice 64 in a partition 65 which divides theflask into two chambers. At one end of the flask is a resilientdiaphragm 66 carrying a stud 67. In the normal position of the parts, asshown in the drawings, the flask is tilted up so that the mercury restsat the bottom of the flask. ll hen the treadle is pressed down the flaskturns on its axis so as to bring the stud into contact with the switch58. The mercury then runs through the orifice G l to bear against thediaphragm 66 and thereby thrust outward the stud 67 so as to close theswitch 58. The arrangement is such that the switch does not close untilsubstantially all of the mercury has passed through the orifice Get tobear against the diaphragm. Thus, a substantial and predeterminedinterval of time must. elapse afterthe treadle has been depressed beforethe switch 58 is closed. This time interval may be varied by chang ingthe size of the orifice Get or in other ways. By the arrangementdescribed, it will, therefore, be seen that after the lever 52 has beenpulled back to retard the vehicle and the treadle 17 has been depressedto forestall the operation of the alarm device, lever 52 cannot beimmediately pushed over to apply power to the vehicle because solenoidcore 55 has engaged shoulder piece 5% thereby locking lever 52 in itsbackward position. Solenoid 56 must first be energized to release link50 before the lever 52 can be pushed over and this cannot take placeuntil sufficient time has elapsed for the mercury in the flask 59 topass through the orifice 6i and efiect the closing of the switch 58.lVhen this operation of the mercury flask has taken place, lever 52 isunlocked and may then be pushed over to apply power to the vehicle.

The operation of the system is as follows: ll hen the train approachesand passes the semaphore 6 while the semaphore is in safety position,the alarm device does not operate because when the train reaches tracksection 2, it merely deenergizes magnet 5 and closes at contact linger38 only one of the three breaks normally in the circuit of the alarmdevice 27 heretofore pointed out, and because when the train passes onto track section 1, it merely deenergizes track magnet thereby breakingthe signal circuit and permittin the semaphore to drop to dangerposition. ,l "hen the train has passed beyond track section 1 and thetrack portion guarded by the signal, the signal returns to safetyposition with the circuits and devices in normal condition. If thesignal is in danger position and the'engine driver, having noted thisfact, desires to pass the signal notwithstanding its danger indica ion,he must first pull back his lever 52 to bring his train under controland thereby release his treadle. lVhen the treadle has been thusreleased, the engine driver then depresses the shoe 48 into connectionwith contact rails 16 and 17. This closes the circuit of the magnet 23,which was broken at contacts 20. 21 and 22 when the signal moved fromsafety position, and thereby keeps the circuit of the alarm device openat" contact finger 35. lVhen the train proceeds on to track section 2,it deenergizes track magnet 5 and drops contact lingers 3S and 41.Magnet 23 is so constructed as to have a slow release so that, when thetrain passes off of section 3 and on to track section 2 and beyondcontact rails 16 and 17, contact finger l1 will have dropped beforecontact lingers and ll are able to drop. By this arrangement, magnet 23remains energized when the train is on track section 2 and the alarmdevice is cut out by the break in its circuit at contact finger 35 andre nains cut out. ll hen the train is on track section 2, the circuit ofmagnet 23 may be traced from generator 7, through wire 2%, contact rail1?, wire d0, contact finger 41., contact point 42, wire as, contactfinger ea, contact point 45, wire it magnet 23, wire 26 back togenerator 7. Thus, the operation of the alarm device may be prevented bythe action of the engine driver after he has retarded his train. If,however, the signal is at danger and the engine driver fails to note itsindication, he will fail to see that the alarm device is cut out andwithout having depressed the shoe 48, will pass on to track section 2.Under this situation, the magnet 23 will be deenergized because thesemaphore 6 has broken the circuit of this magnet at contacts 20, 21 and22 by its movement to danger position. This causes two of the breaks inthe circuit of the alarm device, namely, the break at contact huge 35and the break at contacts 29, 30.

When, therefore, the train having passed on to track section 2deenergizes track iagnet 5, and drops contact finger 38, it closes theremaining break in the circuit of the alarm device and the latter is setin operation.

T 1e warning produced by the operation of the alarm device is of sooistinctive a character that it is designed to attract the attention ofthe engine driver and also the attention of other membersof the traincrew and the passengers so that the negligent act of the engine driveris known to other persons on the train who may operate the enginewhistle or apply the emergency brake. It is this possibility of thussetting the alarm device in operation that is calculated to make theengine driver attentive and watchful of his signals so that he may notunknowingly pass a signal at danger position or enter a danger Zone.

After the vehicle has been retarded by pulling back lever and thetreadle has been depressed to forestall the operation of the alarmdevice, lever 52 cannot be pushed forward to apply power to the vehicleuntil a predetermined time interval has elapsed due to the retardedenergization of solenoid 56, as has been described in the foregoing.This requires the engine driver not only to retard his train beforecutting out the alarm device, but requires him thereafter to wait asuitable interval before again acquiring speed.

The invention may be associated with a signal standing normally atdanger as well as to one standing at safety. Also to a signal located onth vehicle as well as on the trackway and also to a signal whoseindication is given otherwise than by changes in position.

The term danger condition of a signal or semaphore, as herein shown,means a cautionary or any condition other than safety, and may indicatethat the train or vehicle should stop immediately or slow down or beprepared to stop.

hat I claim is 1. in a vehicle control system, the combination of analarm device; vehicle controlled means for operating the alarm device;preventive means to forestall the operation of the alarm device;retarding means for the vehicle controlling said preventive means; andmeans to prevent power being applied to the vehicle for a predeterminedtime interval after said preventive means have been operated.

2. In a vehicle control system, the combination of an alarm devicelocated on the tracltway; vehicle controlled means for operating thealarm device; areventive means to forestall the operation of the alarmdevice; retarding means for the vehicle con trolling said preventivemeans; and means to prevent power being applied to the vehicle for apredetermined time interval after said preventive means have beenoperated.

3. In a vehicle control system, the combination of an alarm device;vehicle controlled means for operating the alarm device; preventivemeans on the vehicle to forestall the operation of too alarm device;retarding means for the vehicle controlling said preventive means; andmeans to prevent power being applied to the vehicle for a preoeterminedtime interval after said preventive means have been operated.

4. In a vehicle control system, the combination of an alarn devicelocated on the trackway; vehicle controlled means for operating thealarm device; preventive means on the vehicle to forestall the operationof the alarm device; retarding means for the vehicle controlling saidpreventive means; and means to prevent power being applied to thevehicle for a predetermined time interval after said preventive meanshave been operated.

In a vehicle control system, the combination of a signal; an alarmdevice operable when the signal is in a predetermined condition ofindication; vehicle controlled means for operating the alarm device whenthe signal is in said condition of indication; preventive means toforestall the operation of the alarm device; retarding means for thevehicle controlling said preventive means; and means to prevent powerbeing applied to the vehicle for a predetermined time interval aftersaid preventive means have been operated.

6. In a vehicle control system, the combination of a signal; an alarmdevice located on the trackway and operable when the signal is in apredetermined condition of indication; vehicle controlled means foroperating the alarm device when the signal is in said conditionofindication; )reventive means to forestall the operation of the alarmdevice; retarding means for the vehicle controlling said preventivemeans; and means to prevent power being applied to the vehicle for apredetermined time interval after said preventive means have beenoperated.

7. In a vehicle control system, the combination of a signal; an alarmdevice operable when the signal is in a predetermined condition ofindication; vehicle controlled means for operating the alarm device whenthe signal is in said condition of indication; preventive means on thevehicle to forestall the operation of the alarm device; retarding meansfor the vehicle controlling said preventive means; and means to preventpower being applied to the vehicle for a predetermined time intervalafter said preventive means have been operated.

8. In a vehicle control system, the combination of a signal; an alarmdevice located on the trackway and operable when the signal is in apredetermined condition of indication; vehicle controlled means foroperating the alarm device when the signal is in said condition ofindication; preventive means on the vehicle to forestall the operationof the alarm device; retarding means for the vehicle controlling saidpreventive means; and means to prevent power being applied to thevehicle for a predetermined time interval after said preventive meanshave been operated.

9. In a vehicle control system, the combination of an alarm device;vehicle controlled means, including a track circuit, for operating thealarm device; preventive means to forestall the operation of the alarmdevice; retarding means for the vehicle controlling said preventivemeans; and means to prevent power being applied to the vehicle for apredetermined time interval after said preventive means have beenoperated.

10. In a vehicle control system, the combination of a signal; a trackcircuit controlling said signal; an alarm device operable When thesignal is in a predetermined condition of indication; vehicle controlledmeans, including a track circuit, for operating the alarm device whenthe signal is in said condition of indication; preventive means toforestall the operation of the alarm device; retarding means for thevehicle controlling said preventive means; and means to prevent powerbeing applied to the vehicle for a predetermined time interval aftersaid preventive means have been operated.

11. In a vehicle control system, the combination of an alarm device;vehicle controlled means for operating the alarm device; preventivemeans to forestall the operation of the alarm device; retarding meansfor the vehicle controlling said preventive means and operableindependently thereof; and means to prevent power being applied to thevehicle for a predetermined time interval after said preventive meanshave been operated.

12. In a vehicle control system, the combination of an alarm devicelocated on the t-rackway; vehicle controlled means for operating thealarm device; preventive means to forestall the operation of the alarmdevice; retarding means for the vehicle controlling said preventivemeans and operable independently thereof; and means to prevent povverbeing applied to the vehicle for a predetermined time interval aftersaid preventive means have been operated.

13. In a vehicle control system, the combination of a signal; an alarmdevice operable when the signal is in a predetermined condition ofindication; vehicle controlled means for operating the alarm device Whenthe signal is in said condition of indication; preventive means toforestall the operation of the alarm device; retarding means for thevehicle controlling said preventive means and operable independentlythereof; and means to prevent power being applied to the vehicle for apredetermined time interval after said preventive means have beenoperated.

l t. in a vehicle control systennthe combination of a signal; an alarmdevice located on the trackwav and operable when the signal is in apredetermined condition of indi cation; vehicle controlled means foroperating the alarm device when the signal is in said condition ofindication; preventive means to forestall the operation of the alarmdevice; retarding means for the vehicle controlling said preventivemeans and operable independently thereof; and means to prevent powerbeing applied to the vehicle for a predetermined time interval aftersaid preventive means have been operated.

This specification signed and witnessed this 16th day of Janna y A. D,1913.

JOHN T. (JADE.

Signed in the presence of Ion G. GILMORE, lVon'rrrINoToN CAMPBELL.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, I). C.

